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FEDERAL RAIL BARON TURNS 30.(A)(EDITORIALS)
One of the federal government's most visible flops turns30 years old Tuesday. But the celebrations for Amtrak should wait until it's carried its last passenger. There's no reason to honor a program that's taken taxpayers on a pocket-picking ride for three decades.
Were it a private business, Amtrak would have shut down long ago. It's averaged losses of $812 million a year over the last 10 years. Last year it lost a record $944 million, the same year it established a record for passengers: 22.5 million. Apparently Amtrak hasn't learned that it will never make up for its losses -- about $2 per passenger -- with volume.
Since it opened for "business" on May 1, 1971, Amtrak has received $23 billion in subsidies. Yet it wants more money still. Amtrak is hoping for another $30 million over the next 20 years.
Despite the routine influx of taxpayers' cash, the railroad still can't get out of its own way. Only one of its 40 routes made a profit in 1998.
Too many routes are like the Heartland Flyer, Amtrak's service between ...
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...Way Employes (BMWE), Amtrak today explained that...profitable freight railroads. Amtrak and the BMWE have been...success for more than two years. The principal issues between the BMWE and Amtrak involve benefits, wages...of $41,777. This year Amtrak's BMWE employees...
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...fleet to PTC standards; Amtrak says it will accomplish this by 2012, three years before the deadline. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor...improvement. And in recent years the Association of American...increasingly stressed Amtrak's usefulness to the...
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...Amtrak employees. He said Amtrak still is asking for $1...Congress for the fiscal year beginning in October...the final months of last year, Amtrak mortgaged parts of New...has skyrocketed in recent years as Amtrak struggled financially...
- Amtrak and Motorcoaches Make New Connections in Florida
- Press release article from: PR Newswire November 3, 1997 700+ words
CHICAGO, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Amtrak and First Class Coaches, a motorcoach service, have expanded Florida connections between Amtrak trains in Palatka with Gainesville, Amtrak trains in Tampa with Tarpon Springs/Spring Hill...
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- Magazine article from: Investor's Business Daily July 5, 2002 700+ words
...He's joking, but for Amtrak it's no laughing matter. The 31-year-old national passenger...Joe Biden, D-Del., Amtrak's biggest booster in Congress. "Five years ago, Congress told Amtrak they had to be operationally...
- AMTRAK'S SURVIVAL THREATENED BY LABOR ISSUES; SENATE LETS STATES SPEND TRUST...
- Press release article from: PR Newswire June 22, 1995 700+ words
...on a four-year Amtrak authorization...levels for three years and would make...service); * Some Amtrak workers who...entitled to one year's pay for each year worked, up to six years. Under the...jobs -- if Amtrak asks them to...
- Amtrak's efforts to scale back may be too little, too late.
- Magazine article from: Baltimore Business Journal Hall, Thomas C. February 3, 1995 700+ words
...Boston. Last year, Amtrak carried 22 million interstate...Washington and Boston. Amtrak's performance has improved...In 1993, its best year ever, revenues covered...most of which were not Amtrak's fault, have hurt...performance in the last two years. "If Amtrak hadn...
- Amtrak Unveils Market-Driven Route Strategy.
- Press release article from: PR Newswire April 7, 2000 700+ words
...Network Growth Strategy, Amtrak is fulfilling another critical...initiatives will enable Amtrak to become operationally...For the past two fiscal years and through the first quarter of this fiscal year, Amtrak has surpassed its business...
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- Magazine article from: Business First-Columbus Hoover, Kent March 10, 2000 700+ words
...Thompson, chairman of Amtrak's board. 'Heavy lifting...Acela Express will cost Amtrak more than $140 million in revenue this year, says Kenneth Mead...for late delivery, but Amtrak's future is riding...Thompson, citing three years of ridership increases...
- Amtrak maps plan to lure riders back.
- Newspaper article from: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) May 4, 2003 700+ words
...example of Amtrak's strategy...in a five-year plan released...first time in years, refurbished...point since Amtrak's creation 30 years ago, after...his first year as president...five more years' debate of...to reform Amtrak," said Gunn, 66, a 40-year railroad ...
